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Peters headlines Sault festival

Canadian funnyman Russell Peters headlines the first Way Too Funny Festival in Sault Ste. Marie.

He'll play Essar Centre on June 8 as part of a three-day celebration of tickling the funnybones of Sault residents and tourists from Northern Ontario, Greater Toronto Area and Michigan.

“It's everything having Russell,” Tim Progosh, the festival's executive director, told reporters following a launch event at The Machine Shop on Tuesday afternoon. “He's one of the biggest in the world. He's one of the best in the world.”

Peters is currently touring Australia during his Deported world tour.

Tickets to his Sault date go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Prices range from $45 to $75 plus taxes and fees. A limited number of VIP passes will be sold. Tickets are on sale at Essar Centre box office, online at www.essarcentre.ca/concerts or by calling 866-775-9422.

Peters is expected to be joined by eight to 12 other comedians at the first-time event. Entertainment is expected to run from family friendly shows to adult content.

The Dave Broadfoot Awards, celebrating the best in Canadian comedy, will be held at a luncheon on June 8.

The 183-kilometre trek north of the Sault is “always a focal point” of promotions, said Tourism Sault Ste. Marie executive director Ian McMillan.

“We just thought it was a great tie-in to expose that train to maybe a different audience and get into the GTA and get into Michigan and say, 'Hey, it's not all about just sitting on a train and looking at leaves and the scenery,” he said. “We want to have special activities.”

A variety show also runs at Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre on June 9.

Comedians are also expected to perform late-night shows at several venues.

Five to six hundred tickets are set aside from the events for tourist packages, said Ian McMillan, executive director of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie.

He anticipates the focus on laughs will help draw a younger demographic to the Sault.
“Comedy seems to resonate well with the younger generation,” said McMillan.

Corporate sponsors and hotels are financing the budget. McMillan declined to identify that dollar amount.

Way Too Funny Festival started when Progosh attended an annual general meeting of Festivals and Events Ontario in the Sault in 2017. He's a board member of the organization.

Discussions with Tourism Sault Ste. Marie began.

“He had something in mind that would make a perfect event,” said McMillan.

The event is expected to run in the city for a minimum of three years.

Progosh founded Canadian Comedy Awards. That event ran for more than a decade and was held in several cities including Toronto, London, Regina and Ottawa. A trademark issue prompted Progosh to move on. He is also chair of Canadian Comedy Foundation for Excellence.

Timothy Murphy serves as on-site producer for the festival. The actor and director is also selling event sponsorships, priced at $2,500, $5,000, $7,500 and $10,000.